I returned to the Guatamala border. Firstly I paid £1.50 fumigation fee to get motorbike sprayed, then immigration, the TIP (temporary import permit £16) for the motorbike and finally changing my Mexican Pesos for Gutamalan Quetzal. This took about 2 hours and then I was off.
My travel style this time around is to do as little research as possible and see what transpires; yes I miss some ‘tourist main attractions’, but I’m fed up of travelling from one ‘wonder of the world to another’. I do visit these wonderful places when I’m passing but I’m more interested in everyday people getting on with their everyday lives. It’s all about the people, and the environment, culture…
The border town stretched along the road as I headed further up the mountain. What hit me instantly were the people smiling at me, the bright colours and mass of small motorbikes. I stayed in Huehuetenango at 2,000m that night, it felt the least touristic town in Central America, I loved it, so many locals smiling at me.
On my first full day there, I decided I would have an easy riding day, just 100 miles to Lake Atitlán. Usually that would take about an hour & half! I woke at 6am and decided to have a lay-in, I left at 10am… what transpired was an adventure I hadn’t imagined. Guatamala is one massive mountain range, where I think I spent the day between 2,000 – 2,800 metres. It’s a small country with a relatively large population who love cars & motorbikes. Put all of those facts together and it means that there are many towns and villages perched on the edge of every mountain, which meant I was either in ‘stand-still’ traffic in the towns or mainly behind cars or buses as I twisted up & down the many many mountains.
As I left the jungle clad mountains and entered the towns; I experienced a sensory overload and delightful mix of congestion, people, colour and loud music. Culturally very different to Mexico.
I have crossed over many mountain ranges all over the world, but so far Guatamala takes absolute top spot for amazing riding. The mountains all have very steep sides so the ascent & decent is crazy steep! At times on some switchbacks I wondered if the bike had enough power. Of course it did…
At 3pm, 5 hours into my ride (I hardly stopped), my sat-nav indicated I was still an hour off my destination. Shortly after I could see the blackest clouds straight ahead. I hadn’t needed my waterproofs over the last month but I was sure I would need them shortly. And then for the first time in Guatamala, at 2,500 metres the old single lane pot holed road turned into a dual carriageway with a perfect, newly laid tarmac surface. If only I could have taken a photo of my grin, it must have stretched from ear to ear! The road started to descend the mountain and there was bend after bend after bend. For the next 45 minutes I felt like I had died and gone to heaven! Then, 4 minutes before my destination I braked at the 10,000th corner of the day, and my rear brake failed me! A few more bends and I was there.
I had arrived at Lake Atitlán, one of the major attractions in Guatemala however, the cloud was blocking the view.
A friend of a friend recommended an isolated, cool retreat / hippy community to stay at. It was on a hillside, high above the lake in the middle of the jungle. I walked down the path, through the jungle and saw a few buildings and met Suri, she welcomed me and said I could stay in the treehouse. I was both excited and nervous as I had passed some buildings which looked slightly rickety! Down the steep path, through the jungle and there it was, my treehouse for a night (or two).
My first feeling was that I may not be there usual guest type.
By coincidence, the tree house had been built by an English guy who spent time there a few years earlier. Suri told me that the community (some live there and some stay a few months) come by recommendation and word of mouth from friends. I asked about food and she said I could eat with them.
I had arrived at a community of people who had chosen an alternative lifestyle. I was aware of such places but hadn’t been a part of one. I was looking forward to my stay but aware I may leave sooner than expected.
What transpired was a community of mainly English & European families, living the hippy life in Guatamala. Really nice people for sure!
There’s not much to do in the evening in the rainforest and I fell asleep before 9, I was woken by light rain on the tin roof at times and then by the obligatory cockerel at 5am. I got up and walked the short distance to the view point where I saw Lake Atitlán for the first time as the sun rose above the mountains behind me. It’s not often I feel that ‘wow’ feeling. Truly beautiful…
And the rear brake problem… that morning I went to the local bike mechanic, not imagining for one minute he would have the right brake pads. Of course he did…
I left a few days later & after the jungle road my sat-nav directed me to the Pan American Highway, which I had read about. As soon as I entered the two-lane highway I hated it, Lorries everywhere, exhaust fumes bellowing out, pot-holes, get me off here I thought! I checked my sat-nav and saw I would only be on it for 20 miles so continued. Then just before I turned off I saw a massive M high up on a pole! It was a bloody McDonalds. Then I saw Wendy’s, subway, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell… 20 miles of hell.
30 minutes later I arrived in Antigua, I stayed a couple of days in the old Spanish colonial town; tourists everywhere, a beautiful place and a place to stop if you visit Guatamala. I stayed at a small family run hotel which is used by missionaries from the USA, nice people, just a tad old fashioned & misguided!
About 50 miles from the border with El Salvador I started descending the mountains that had kept me cool since San Christóbal 400 miles / 1 week ago; I was getting hotter every mile that passed.
The border was empty and easy to exit Guatamala.
So what have I learned about Guatamala?
- It’s a small country – only 280 miles across.
- Way friendlier than Mexico.
- Beautiful mountains and jungle.
- Lake Atitlán & Antigua are ‘must visits’.
- So easy to travel around.
- Cool temperature.